Are you HOT this Summer?  Let’s just make sure you’re safe, too!

Prolonged or intense exposure to hot temperatures can cause Heat exhaustion, heat cramps, fainting, and heat stroke. 

Six Tips to Beat the Summer Heat this Summer

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1. Drink Plenty of Fluids to Prevent Dehydration

Drink water every 15 minutes even if you aren’t thirsty. Avoid sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Avoid drinking very cold water as it may cause cramping.
During exercise, increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour.

2. Replenish Salt and Minerals.

Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body. These are necessary for your body and must be replaced. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour.

Sports beverages like Gatorade and Powerade may help replace the salt and minerals lost by excessive sweating. They’ve also been shown to enhance fluid absorption with a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink versus plain water. In addition, consumption of a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink will help you maintain your blood glucose level; this may delay fatigue. And, the sodium in the drink will replace a portion of the sodium lost in sweat. Sodium may increase drink palatability (which may cause you to drink more) and can play an important role in restoring body water content. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.
3. Dress Accordingly.

Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Expose as much skin as possible so your body can sweat and cool off. Darker colors and tight clothing tend to attract and keep heat in the body and make it difficult to stay cool. Wear a hat whenever you have to spend much time in the direct sun.

4. Wear Sunscreen.
Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels). Having a sunburn reduces your body’s ability to rid itself of heat.5. Use Common Sense.

5. Use Common Sense.

• Let your body acclimate to the heat. If you travel to somewhere hot, or the temperatures suddenly jump in your area, it can take several weeks for your body to get used to the heat. You’ll still need to take precautions, but working or exercising in heat should become more tolerable. If you’re on vacation, you probably don’t have several weeks to wait, but it’s a good idea to wait at least a few days before attempting vigorous activity in the heat.
• Take extra precautions with certain medications. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether the medications you take make you more susceptible to heat exhaustion and, if so, what you can do to keep your body from overheating.
•  Avoid hot spots. On a hot day, the temperature in your parked car can rise 20 F (11 C) in just 10 minutes. Let your car cool off before you drive it. Never leave children or anyone else in a parked car in hot weather for any period of time
•  Avoid hot foods and heavy meals—they add heat to your body.
• Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets, and leave the water in a shady area

6. Schedule workouts early or late in the day.

Avoid strenuous activity in hot, humid weather or during the hottest part of the day (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) when you have the greatest risk of heat illness.
Or better yet, take your workouts inside and come play with us at Pilates 1901 for a great cardio, strength or Pilates workout!

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